Cue Bill and Ted...In my creative universe, he's not promoted because he don't like Iron Maiden!
Everyone else on the ship does!
Iron Maiden?!!! EXCELLENT!!! ::: air guitar :::
Why does Harry Kim never get promoted?
- Thread starter B. L.
- Start date
Iron Maiden?!!! EXCELLENT!!! ::: air guitar :::
Can’t blame him: he plays the clarinet.
Well, yes. But he should have been a meh lieutenant.
In my creative universe, he's not promoted because he don't like Iron Maiden!
Everyone else on the ship does!
Iron Maiden? Or coffee?
For some reason now I'm picturing the credits for the show after Janeway goes nuts passing out promotions:
Kate Mulgrew AS Fleet Admiral Kathryn Janeway
Robert Beltran AS Admiral Chakotay
Tim Russ AS Vice Admiral Tuvok
Roxann Dawson AS Rear Admiral B'Elanna Torres
Robert Duncan McNeill AS Commodore Tom Paris
Robert Picardo AS The Surgeon General
Garrett Wang AS Captain Harry Kim
For some reason now I'm picturing the credits for the show after Janeway goes nuts passing out promotions:
Kate Mulgrew AS Fleet Admiral Kathryn Janeway
Robert Beltran AS Admiral Chakotay
Tim Russ AS Vice Admiral Tuvok
Roxann Dawson AS Rear Admiral B'Elanna Torres
Robert Duncan McNeill AS Commodore Tom Paris
Robert Picardo AS The Surgeon General
Garrett Wang AS Captain Harry Kim
This is a little like the TOS movies tbf
The Doctor should have been promoted to President of Earth
Neelix could have been promoted to Chef de Cuisine after he got his Le Cordon Bleu certification on the holodeck
Or how about if they had decided, instead of trying to go home, they just created the United Federation of Planets - Delta Branch
Kathryn Janeway - Federation President
Chakotay - Secretary of State
Tuvok - Head of Starfleet
B'Elanna Torres - Secretary of Technology. Retires at some point to raise her children and is replaced by Seven of Nine.
Tom Paris - Head of Bureau of Ship Design
Neelix - Ambassador and Party Planner
Kes - Liason to the Ocampa
Dr. Zimmerman - Surgeon General
Harry Kim - Captain of Voyager, Starfleet flagship
Kathryn Janeway - Federation President
Chakotay - Secretary of State
Tuvok - Head of Starfleet
B'Elanna Torres - Secretary of Technology. Retires at some point to raise her children and is replaced by Seven of Nine.
Tom Paris - Head of Bureau of Ship Design
Neelix - Ambassador and Party Planner
Kes - Liason to the Ocampa
Dr. Zimmerman - Surgeon General
Harry Kim - Captain of Voyager, Starfleet flagship
FTFY
Yup, even if it ended up being a generational ship as originally planned Harry would end up like an 80 year old ensign.
Harry had a choice in Futures End.
Let Janeway Die or pollute the timeline and break the temporal Prime Directive.
It's subtle, but every time Janeway sees that she is not home, that this time line is some where absolutely alien, and this is not her real TimeLine where loyal Mark is still waiting for her... Fuck you Harry.
Let Janeway Die or pollute the timeline and break the temporal Prime Directive.
It's subtle, but every time Janeway sees that she is not home, that this time line is some where absolutely alien, and this is not her real TimeLine where loyal Mark is still waiting for her... Fuck you Harry.
It's a common theory that Janeway secretly has it in for Harry. Note that in all five of the alternate realities that see him promoted (Non Sequitur, Before and After, Timeless, Endgame, and Online), he is no longer under her command.
^Timeless? I can't recall a promotion being seen or mentioned in that episode, only that he left Starfleet in frustration.
(I would expect Starfleet to at least give him a promotion when he returned after 7 years, but I can't assume it without proof).
(I would expect Starfleet to at least give him a promotion when he returned after 7 years, but I can't assume it without proof).
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Iron Maiden AND coffee!
Gives life a meaning.
As for Harry never being promoted on Voyager, first a briefing in Janeway's ready room.
I'm sorry Mr Kim but I can't give you a promotion because your musical taste is AWFUL!
and then some hours later when Harry is going to drown his sorrows at Quark's bar at Deep Space Nine.
Sorry Harry!
Here's the reason why I was promoted last week and you weren't!
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Maybe I had the episode wrong, but I distinctly remember seeing an older version of Harry with commander rank in some 5th season episode or other. Thought it was "Timeless". Should probably watch it again.
I wrote this as a response to a YouTube video somewhere... consider the following:
Ext. shot of Voyager flying at warp.
Cut to Janeway's ready room. The senior staff are seated around the table.
JANEWAY: "Good morning, all of you. Lieutenant Torres, what's the status of the equipment we traded with the Zorlonians?"
TORRES: "The plasma injectors are functioning within normal parameters."
JANEWAY: "And the industrial replicator?"
TORRES: "We've been having some compatibility issues with the power conversion matrix, but we should have it up and running by this afternoon."
JANEWAY: "Good work, lieutenant. I want you to focus on producing more photon torpedoes. If the Kazon or Vidiians return, I want to be ready."
CHAKOTAY: "We may want to work on producing more shuttlecraft as well."
JANEWAY: "Agreed. Make shuttle fabrication your second priority."
TORRES: "Aye, captain."
JANEWAY: "Another matter we need to attend to... Mr. Kim, could you come here, please?"
Harry obeys. Janeway produces a hollow pip from somewhere and secures it to his collar.
JANEWAY: "As captain of this ship, I grant you field promotion to the rank of lieutenant, with all privileges and responsibilities inherent."
HARRY (grinning): "Thank you, captain!"
He returns to his seat. Tom pats him on the shoulder in congratulation.
JANEWAY: "In other matters..."
The comm beeps, introducing the threat of the week and ending the meeting.
In other words, a guy with no professional writing experience and zero published works took about 3 minutes producing a scene that solves THREE of Voyager's worst inconsistencies in 30 seconds. A team of professionals writers who probably make more money in a year than I do in five... couldn't do it in 7 years.
Ext. shot of Voyager flying at warp.
Cut to Janeway's ready room. The senior staff are seated around the table.
JANEWAY: "Good morning, all of you. Lieutenant Torres, what's the status of the equipment we traded with the Zorlonians?"
TORRES: "The plasma injectors are functioning within normal parameters."
JANEWAY: "And the industrial replicator?"
TORRES: "We've been having some compatibility issues with the power conversion matrix, but we should have it up and running by this afternoon."
JANEWAY: "Good work, lieutenant. I want you to focus on producing more photon torpedoes. If the Kazon or Vidiians return, I want to be ready."
CHAKOTAY: "We may want to work on producing more shuttlecraft as well."
JANEWAY: "Agreed. Make shuttle fabrication your second priority."
TORRES: "Aye, captain."
JANEWAY: "Another matter we need to attend to... Mr. Kim, could you come here, please?"
Harry obeys. Janeway produces a hollow pip from somewhere and secures it to his collar.
JANEWAY: "As captain of this ship, I grant you field promotion to the rank of lieutenant, with all privileges and responsibilities inherent."
HARRY (grinning): "Thank you, captain!"
He returns to his seat. Tom pats him on the shoulder in congratulation.
JANEWAY: "In other matters..."
The comm beeps, introducing the threat of the week and ending the meeting.
In other words, a guy with no professional writing experience and zero published works took about 3 minutes producing a scene that solves THREE of Voyager's worst inconsistencies in 30 seconds. A team of professionals writers who probably make more money in a year than I do in five... couldn't do it in 7 years.
Well, they could have, the big question if why they didn’t. I mean, the issue must have come up even back then, for example when promoting Paris for very dubious reasons, yet someone either decided to postpone the thing over and over and eventually forgot or took a conscious decision to have someone “always be the young ensign” as reported by Wang.
Postponing is definitely possible. Look at the Doctor... he asked for a name in S1, and he never got one. Schmullus, Van Gogh, Schweitzer, Dr. Zimmerman, and Kenneth were all very legitimate possibilities, but none were used.
And you're right about the "young Ensign Kim" nonsense, even though by series end Harry is as old as Riker was when he was OFFERED A COMMAND. But they focus heavily on Harry's green-ness and ignorance.
As an example, look at the Wiki, it states that he "doesn't know how to address his captain". Not true: he addressed Janeway as per Starfleet protocol: "Thank you, sir." The fact that Janeway prefers "captain" (or "ma'am" in a crunch) is simply one of her her idiosyncrasies, which a new crew member can't be expected to know. But since they want to cast Harry in a certain light, that's how they call it.
And you're right about the "young Ensign Kim" nonsense, even though by series end Harry is as old as Riker was when he was OFFERED A COMMAND. But they focus heavily on Harry's green-ness and ignorance.
As an example, look at the Wiki, it states that he "doesn't know how to address his captain". Not true: he addressed Janeway as per Starfleet protocol: "Thank you, sir." The fact that Janeway prefers "captain" (or "ma'am" in a crunch) is simply one of her her idiosyncrasies, which a new crew member can't be expected to know. But since they want to cast Harry in a certain light, that's how they call it.
I saw a meme that went something like this somewhere or other...
JANEWAY: "Ensign Kim, your service lately has been exemplary. I was just wondering if there was anything we could do for you."
KIM: "Well, Captain, I'd really like a unicorn."
JANEWAY: "How could I get you a unicorn, Harry? We're 70,000 light years from Earth, and they're mythological even there."
KIM: "Then could I get promoted to lieutenant?"
(awkward silence)
JANEWAY: "Do you want a white unicorn or a pink unicorn?"
JANEWAY: "Ensign Kim, your service lately has been exemplary. I was just wondering if there was anything we could do for you."
KIM: "Well, Captain, I'd really like a unicorn."
JANEWAY: "How could I get you a unicorn, Harry? We're 70,000 light years from Earth, and they're mythological even there."
KIM: "Then could I get promoted to lieutenant?"
(awkward silence)
JANEWAY: "Do you want a white unicorn or a pink unicorn?"
Perhaps all Starfleet officers have to take a 'career plateau' of 10 years sometime during their Starfleet Career. Riker took his after reaching the XO position; Harry is taking his as an ensign straight out of the Academy, to get it over with.
If not, it might be fun to write a scene where Harry and Riker compare notes, taking the same type of actions, resulting in promotions for Riker (e.g. refusing to let his captain go on a away mission that served as a commendation to Picard), and in reprimands or 'just another day at the offfice' for Harry. ('I once reconnected the saucer and stardrive section of our Starship by manual maneuvering, Ensign, so you understand capt. Picard was understandably impressed!' - 'Well, I've done nothing so grand, the best I've done until now is to sacrifice myself in order to save my ship in the past, discover a few wormholes and transportation methods that could've gotten us home, sacrificed myself more than once to restore the timeline , but yeah, nothing really that would earn me any admiration of my Captain...' 'Don't take it too hard on yourself, Ensign, there are heroes, and there are average people with average careers and there's nothing wrong with that'.)
That said,, I've got the feeling (and I'm not trying to joke here) that Janeway is one of those captains that really doesn't like her officers to get uppity and act out of their own accord or conscience, if it goes against her orders. She, as the Captain, and only she, determines what is ethically right in the end, unlike Picard, who, even if he had to reprimand someone, could still appreciate an underling acting against his orders if he felt it to really go against his conscience.
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